British Overseas Territories: Climate Change

(asked on 30th December 2020) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the contribution of the UK Overseas Territories to UK climate change commitments.


Answered by
Nigel Adams Portrait
Nigel Adams
This question was answered on 11th January 2021

The UK Overseas Territories are custodians of internationally important habitats and species. As small island and coastal communities, climate change and biodiversity loss will have a profound impact upon them. The UK and Overseas Territories have a proud history of taking ambitious action on the environment, as demonstrated by the world-leading Blue Belt programme. Working with the Overseas Territories, we have successfully protected 60% of UK waters, which includes 4.3 million square kilometres of protection around the Overseas Territories. Building on this success in 2019, the UK launched the Global Ocean Alliance, calling for at least 30% of the global ocean to be protected by 2030.

At the recent Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council, territory leaders pledged to work with the UK to secure an ambitious agreement to tackle climate change at COP26. By the time of the Summit, each territory government will have endeavoured to communicate their plan for climate change adaptation and mitigation, which will contribute towards global carbon emission reductions. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy plans to consult with the territories on the extension of the Paris Agreement and the UK's Nationally Determined Contribution to cover their emissions.

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